Franchesca Faucette Foundation founded by son for lung cancer research

Franchesca Faucette, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in April 2013, will live on in the hearts of her loved ones and in the public mind through a lung-cancer organization created in her memory.

Franchesca was 52 when she died April 21, 2013.

The Franchesca Faucette Lung Cancer Foundation recently was created by her eldest son, Charles Colvin Jr., to honor his mother and to build awareness, educate and do research about lung cancer, especially in the minority community, and work on the Stop Smoking Initiative.

“We want to help the next family that is experiencing anything like my family experienced and to have better resources available to get through tough times,” said Colvin, a local disc jockey, owner of StarLyfe Entertainment and business consultant.

After looking around to find a way to give back to the community to help fight lung cancer and not finding a lot of resources, Colvin began looking into starting his own organization to fill that void.

“Starting the process of creating the Franchesca Faucette Lung Cancer Foundation is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” said Colvin, foundation director.

Colvin described his mother as “dedicated and passionate about being a great mother and wife, and always showing unwavering love for her family and friends.”

Her family includes her husband, Tracey Mitchell; children, Colvin, Traci Mitchell and Tramon Mitchell, all of Youngstown; and siblings Carlton Ingram of Youngstown, DeAndre Faucette of Chicago, Kevin Faucette of Liberty and Darlene West of Girard.

Franchesca grew up on Youngstown’s South Side and graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School.

“Whether it was organizing a family gathering or just a weekly card game, she was always in the midst of the action,” Colvin said.

“Togetherness and family were the most-important ingredients of her life,” Colvin said of his mother, adding she also taught that in life it’s less about what you have and more about knowing who you are and leaving “a great impression on everyone you come in contact with.”

Though it was not Franchesca’s specific wish to start a lung foundation, Colvin said that “following in her spirit of helping others, it was only right to create the foundation to give back and fill a void in the community.”

Colvin, 26, a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in information technology at Youngstown State University, said, “The relationship I shared with my mother was very open. I was able to discuss anything with her and get an honest, motherly answer every time. She has a tremendous influence on the man I am today.”

He said the Franchesca Faucette Lung Cancer Foundation is doing well.

“The response from family, friends and those that know her has been overwhelming,” he said.

People who wish to donate and submit contact information to be added to the volunteers’ list can do so at FranchescaFaucette.org. Also, people can contact the foundation on Facebook.com/FranchescaFaucette, or Twitter and Instagram @FranFaucette.